title: Reporter enzyme assays.
abstract: Reporter genes code for proteins that have a unique enzymatic activity and are used to assess the transcriptional properties of DNA elements. The use of reporter genes in transgenic animals provides a rapid method for the detection of transgene expression, which is easily distinguishable from expression of the corresponding endogenous gene of the animal. The regulatory sequences of a chosen gene are fused to a readily assayable protein coding region, examples of which are chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT), β-galactosidase, and luciferase. Sensitive assays are available for each of these proteins that facilitate detection and quantitation of transgene expression. The use of these reporter enzymes allows a more rapid and sensitive method of detection than the analysis of specific transgene transcripts within the transgenic animals. The reporter enzymes described in this chapter are CAT, β-galactosidase, and luciferase.
authors.affiliation: Neuropeptide Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pardy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D057075:Enzyme Assays / Q000379:methods*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology; D048888:Fireflies / Q000201:enzymology; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D008156:Luciferases; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase; D001616:beta-Galactosidase